Article carrier



F. J. WOOD ARTICLE CARRIER Oct. 31, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jul 25,1966 INVENTOR. PRENTICE J. WOOD ATTORNEY 7 Oct. 31, 1967 WOOD 3,349,957

ARTICLE CARRIER Filed July 25. 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN'IUR. PRENTICEJ. WOOD ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,349,957 ARTICLE CARRIERPrentice J. Wood, Jonesboro, Ga., assignor to The Mead Corporation, acorporation of Ohio Filed July 25, 1966, Ser. No. 567,446 8 Claims. (Cl.220113) This invention relates to article carriers and more particularlyto carriers for use in conjunction with single trip primary packagessuch as bottles wherein the bottles and carriers are discarded after asingle use. In order to effect substantial economy in the manufacture ofsuch carriers, it is desirable to use light weight material such asrelatively thin paperboard. While paperboard which is of the order oftwo one hundredths of an inch in thickness is sufficiently sturdy foruse in one-trip article carriers, material of this thickness does notmeet the minimum requirements for article separation.

A principal object of this invention is to provide an improved articlecarrier which is made from thin sheet material and which also isconstructed so that two thicknesses of material are provided to separateall points of possible contact between adjacent articles in the carrierboth at the bottom portions of the articles as well as at the shoulderportions thereof.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an improved articlecarrier which is both economical to manufacture and which is speciallyconstructed with reinforcing elements in certain portions of the carriersuch as the handle portion where load stress is greatest.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved articlecarrier wherein transverse partitions take the form of transverse stripsrather than full depth separating panels and wherein special means areprovided in accordance with the invention to provide a substantialequivalent for a conventional full depth article carrier at a minimumcost.

An article carrier constructed in accordance with one form of theinvention comprises a bottom panel, side walls foldably joined to theside edges of the bottom panel, end walls foldably joined to the endedges of the side walls, riser panels foldably joined to the end wallsmedially thereof and extending medially inward of the carrier, a pair ofouter handle panels secured at their ends to said riser panels anddisposed in parallel close proximity to each other, and at least onereinforcing panel foldably joined to at least one of said outer handlepanels along at least one fold line which is spaced inwardly somewhatfrom one end edge of said one handle panel, the reinforcing panel beingfolded into flat face contacting relation to the inner surface of saidone handle panel and being of such length and disposition as to occupy aposition centrally of the outer handle panels and so as to bridge thegap between the inner edge of at least one riser panel at each end ofthe carrier thereby substantially to increase the sturdiness of thehandle structure.

If desired, each handle panel may be provided with an inner reinforcingpanel and where the lower edges of the outer handle panel are cut awayto form transverse partition strips, the inner reinforcing panels servenot only as structural reinforcement but also constitute medial twoplyseparators which fill the areas struck out of the handle panels to formthe transverse strips and which are disposed between the articles on oneside of the handle and those on the other side thereof. According to onefacet of the invention, the lower end of at least one riser panel ateither end of the carrier may be provided with an inwardly projectingmedial tab which is disposed alongside and in flat face contactingrelation with a medial keel tab foldably joined to the bottom panel ofthe carrier. In this way a two-ply medial separator is provided for theend ICC cells of the carrier by which the articles on opposite sides ofthe handle are separated from each other at the bottom portions thereof,the upper portions of the articles of course being separated by thetwo-ply reinforcing panel incorporated as a part of the handle structurein the areas where the transverse partition strips are cut away from theouter handle panels. A bottom tab struck out of the bottom panel anddisposed intermediate the ends of the carrier is secured in flat facecontacting relation to the medial keel panel and in this manner a twoply medial partition is provided for the articles disposed intermediatethe ends of the carrier and on opposite sides of the handle panels.According to still another facet of the invention, auxiliary partitionstrips are secured in flat face contacting relation to the transversepartition strips and secured thereto to form a two-ply transversepartition between the upper portion of articles on each side of thehandle of the carrier, such partition strips being elongated and beingarranged to extend downwardly between adjacent articles in the carrierso that the lower ends thereof are disposed alongside one or moretransverse struts struck out of the bottom panel and extendingsubstantially thereacross so as to provide separation between the bottomportions of articles in each row on opposite sides of the handlecarrier.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to thefollowing detailed description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of acompletely set-up carrier constructed according to the invention andwherein portions of certain side and end walls are cut away to exposethe inner structure of the carrier; FIG. 2 is a plan View of a mainblank from which the carrier of FIG. 1 is formed and on which fourseparate auxiliary partition strips are afiixed; FIG. 3 depicts thepositions which the parts occupy upon completion of a first foldingoperation performed on the blank depicted in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 shows theblank in the condition thereof after the second folding operation iscompleted and in which FIG. 5 represents a completed carrier shown incollapsed condition.

In the drawings the numeral 1 is used to designate a side wall of thecarrier, to the end edges 2 and 3 of which a pair of end panels 4 and 5are foldably joined. A lap panel 6 is foldably joined to the bottom edgeof side wall 1 along a fold line 7. A riser panel 8 is foldably joinedalong a fold line 9 to end wall 5. At the other end of the carrier ariser panel 10 is foldably joined along fold line 11 to an edge of endwall panel 4.

The handle structure of the carrier comprises an outer handle panel 12which is foldably joined to riser panel 8 along the fold line 9 and asecond outer handle panel 13 which is foldably joined along the top edgeof outer handle panel 12 along fold line 14. Reinforcement for thehandle takes the form of a pair of reinforcing panels 15 and 16 whichare foldably joined together along the fold line 17 Reinforcing panels15 and 16 are separated from the handle panels 12 and 13 along a cutline 18. Reinforcing panel 16 is foldably joined to handle panel 13along short fold line 19 while a similar fold line 20 interconnects thereinforcing panel 15 and the outer handle panel 12. These short foldlines 19 and 20 may be offset inwardly from the end edge 18 of the outerhandle panels 12 and 13 so as to render the reinforcing panels 15 and 16sufiiciently long when folded over and forwardly into flat facecontacting relation with the inner surfaces of panels 12 and 13 so thatan overlap between the reinforcing panels 15 and 16 and the inner edgeof at least one riser panel at each end of the carrier is effected. Inthis connection tab 36a is formed on riser panel 36 and overlaps the endof panel 16 and also serves to :align the fold lines 14 and 17. Whilethe panels 15 and 16 are shown in overlapping relation to the riserpanels, it will be understood that it is 3 within the scope of theinvention to arrange the fold lines 19 and 20 so that the ends of panels15 and 16 are disposed adjacent to but not overlapping the inner edgesof the riser panels provided panels 15 and 16 are disposed centrally ofthe outer handle panels.

For the purpose of providing transverse partitions on one side of thehandle of the carrier, a plurality of partition strips 21 and 22 areprovided. Partition strip 21 is foldably joined to side wall 1 along theshort fold line 23 and to the handle panel 12 along the fold line 24.Partition strip 22 is foldably joined to side wall 1 along short foldline 25 and to handle panel 12 along fold line 26. In accordance withone facet of the invention, an auxiliary partion strip 27 is glued orotherwise secured to the partition strip 21 and a similar auxiliarypartition strip 28 is glued or otherwise secured to the partition strip22. It is obvious from FIG. 2, for example, that the auxiliary partitionstrips 27 and 28 extend downwardly toward the bottom edge 7 of side wall1 from their respective partition strips 21 and 22.

The other side of the carrier is similar to that just described andcomprises a side wall 29 to one end edge 30 of which an end panel 31 isfoldably joined. A riser panel 32 is foldably joined along fold line 33to end panel 31. Similarly an end panel 34 is foldably joined along anend edge 35 to the opposite end of side wall 29 and a riser panel 36 isfoldably joined along a fold line 37 to an edge of end wall 34.

The bottom panel of the carrier is designated by the numeral 38 and isfoldably joined along fold line 39 to a bottom edge of side wall 29. Apair of transversely disposed struts 40 and 41 are struck out of thebottom panel 38 and are foldably joined thereto along fold lines 42 and43 respectively. These transverse struts 40 and 41 are disposed astridethe medial fold line 44 formed in the bottom panel 38.

When the carrier is assembled, the transverse struts 40 and 41 aredisposed immediately underneath the partition strips 21 and 22 and liealongside the auxiliary partition strips 27 and 28 on one side of thecarrier.

Cooperating with the transverse struts 40 and 41 on the other side ofthe carrier are a pair of auxiliary partition strips 45 and 46 which aresecured by glue or otherwise to transverse partition strips 47 and 48.Transverse partition strip 47 is foldably joined to side wall 29 alongfold line 49 and to handle panel 13 along fold line 50. Similarlypartition strip 48 is foldably joined to side wall 29 along fold line 51and to handle panel 13 along fold line 52. Since the lower ends ofpartition strips 45 and 46 lie immediately adjacent to and in flat facecontacting relation with the adjacent ends of the transverse struts 40and 41 respectively, a two-ply separator means is formed between thearticles in each row on each side of the handle panel both at the bottomportions thereof adjacent the strips 40 and 41 and at the top portionsthereof adjacent the transverse partition strips 47 and 48.

For the purpose of providing a medial strut along the bottom panel, amedial keel panel 53 is foldably joined at its ends only to an edge ofthe bottom panel 38 which is opposite from the fold line 39. The middleportion of keel panel 53 is separated from bottom panel 38 along a cutline 54. Medial keel panel 53 is provided with a pair of cut-out areas55 and 56 which receive the notches 57 and 58 formed in the transversepanels 40 and 41 when the carrier is in set-up condition. The keelstraps 59 and 60 interconnect the keel panel 53 with the bottom panel38. Keel strap 59 is foldably joined to bottom panel 38 along fold line61 and to the medial keel panel 53 along the fold line 62. Similarlykeel strap 60 is foldably joined at one end thereof to the bottom panel38 along fold line 63 and at the other end thereof to the medial keelpanel 53 along the fold line 64.

Hand gripping apertures 65 and 66 are formed in handle panel 12 andsimilar apertures 67 and 68 are formed in outer handle panel 13. As willbe apparent from the drawings, hand gripping apertures 69 and 70 formedin reinforcing panel 15 coincide with apertures 65 and 66 in outerhandle panel 12 when the carton is formed. Similarly hand grippingapertures 71 and 72 formed in handle panel 16 coincide respectively withapertures 67 and 68 in outer handle panel 13.

In order to form the carrier into completed form as depicted in FIG. 5from the blank depicted in FIG. 2 having auxiliary strip partitions 27,28, 45 and 46 aflfixed thereto, it is simply necessary to make anapplication of glue to the inner surfaces of outer handle panels 12 and13 and to the exposed surfaces in reinforcing panels 15 and 16 as shownby stippling in FIG. 2. Thereafter the auxiliary panels 15 and 16 arefolded upwardly and forwardly along their respective fold lines 20 and19 to occupy the positions depicted in FIG. 3.

An application of glue is then made to the exposed inner end portions ofriser panels 8, 36, 10 and 32 as indicated by stippling in FIG. 3.Thereafter end panels 4 and 31 together with their associated riserpanels 10 and 32 are swung upwardly and forwardly along the respectivefold lines 2 and 30 to occupy the positions depicted in FIG. 4 whereinthe riser panel 10 is atfixed to the exposed surface of reinforcingpanel 15 by an application of glue and riser panel 32 is similarlyaflixed to the exposed surface of reinforcing panel 16. Simultaneouslythe riser panels 8 and 36 are folded upwardly and rearwardly into fiatface contacting relation with the adjacent inner end portions of outerhandle panels 12 and 13 to occupy the positions depicted in FIG. 4.While the above described folding operations are being made, the bottompanel 38 is appropriately manipulated by simply swinging the medial keelpanel 53 upwardly and toward the right along with similar foldingmovement of straps 59 and 60 about fold lines 61 and 63 respectively.When so folded, straps '59 and 60 become affixed by glue to the adjacentinner surface of bottom panel 38 and the medial keel panel 53 isdisposed immediately above the transverse struts 40 and 41 and in flatface contacting relation with the bottom panel 38.

In order to complete the carrier, an application of glue is made to theblank as depicted in FIG. 4 and as indicated by the stippled areas inthat figure.

The blank then is manipulated by folding the side wall 1 and associatedparts upwardly and toward the left along the fold lines 14 and 17 sothat the various stippled areas come into face contacting relationshipwith each other. The parts then occupy the positions depicted in FIG. 5and the carrier is then finished and in collapsed condition.

In accordance with one feature of the invention, a medial tab is formedat the bottom end of at least one riser panel at each end of thecarrier. Such tabs in the drawings are designated by the numerals 73with respect to the tab on riser panel 36 and by the numeral 74 withrespect to the tab formed on the riser panel 10. When the carton isassembled, tab 74 lies immediately adjacent to and in flat facecontacting relation to the end of medial keel panel 53 which is adjacentto strap 59. In this manner a double ply separator is provided at theend of the carrier whereby the end bottle on one side of the handle isseparated from the corresponding end bottle on the other side of thehandle at the bottom portion thereof. Medial tab 73 is disposed at theother end of the keel panel and in like fashion forms with panel 53 atwo-ply separator at that end of the carrier. The reinforcing panels 15and 16 are arranged to fill the spaces provided when the transversestrips 47, 48, 21 and 22 were struck out of handle panels 13 and 12respectively and provide a two-ply separator between the upper portionsof the end bottles adjacent the end panels 4 and 31 and between theupper portions of the middle bottles on opposite sides of the handle ofthe carrier.

The lower portion of the middle bottle on each side of the carrier isseparated from the other bottle by a twoply partition which takes theform of medial keel panel 53 together with the reinforcing tab 75' whichis struck out of the bottom panel 38 and foldably joined thereto alongthe medial fold line 44 and which is secured in flat face contactingrelation With the midportion of the keel panel 53.

On one side of the carrier, transverse separators take the form ofpartition strip 47, auxiliary partition strip 45, and transverse strut40 together with partition strip 48, auxiliary partition strip 46, andtransverse strut 41. Since strip 46 is secured to transverse strip 48 atwo-ply partition is formed at the upper end of auxiliary strip 46. Atthe lower end of strip 46 the transverse separator is of two-plyconstruction due to the fact that the lower end of auxiliary strip 46 isdisposed in flat face contacting relation with one end of transversestrut 41. By this means the articles on one side of the handle areseparated from each other by two-ply separators both at the lowerportion and at the upper portion thereof.

A similar structure is formed on the other side of the carrier.Auxiliary strip 27 is secured to transverse strip 21 so that a two-plypartition is formed at the upper portion of strip 27. In similar fashiona two-ply separator structure is formed at the upper portion of strip28. Since the lower end of strip 27 lies immediately adjacent to andalongside the adjacent end of transverse strut 40 a two-ply partition isafforded by this means. Similarly the lower end of auxiliary partitionstrip 28 is disposed immediately adjacent to and alongside the adjacentend of transverse strut 41 so that a two-ply partition is formed at boththe upper and lower ends of strip 28.

According to the invention, relatively thin gauge sheet material such aspaperboard may be employed because by the invention, the load carryingelements of the carrier such as the handle are adequately reinforced asby the reinforcing panels and 16 and adequate thickness of partitioningstructure is provided at all points of contact between adjacent articleson each side of the carrier and between the articles on one side of thecarrier and those on the opposite side of the carrier. Of course the endand side walls need not be of two ply construction because a pair ofcarriers stacked immediately adjacent to each other either end to end oralongside each other inherently provide a double thickness separatinglayer between the articles in one carrier and those in the other.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, the invention is not limited thereto and it is intended inthe appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fallwithin the true spirit and scope of the invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An article carrier comprising a bottom panels, side walls foldablyjoined to the side edges of said bottom panel, end walls foldably joinedto the end edges of said side walls, riser panels foldably joined tosaid end walls medially thereof and extending medially inward of thecarrier, a pair of outer handle panels secured at their ends to saidriser panels and disposed in parallel close proximity to each other, andat least one reinforcing panel foldably joined to at least one of saidouter handle panels along at least one fold line which is spacedinwardly somewhat from one end edge of said one handle panel, saidreinforcing panel being folded into flat face contacting relation to theinner surface of said one handle panel and said fold line being sodisposed that said reinforcing panel is centrally disposed with respectto the ends of said outer handle panel and the length of saidreinforcing panel being such that said reinforcing panel bridges the gapbetween said riser panels.

2. A carrier according to claim 1 wherein a reinforcing panel isfoldably joined to each of said outer handle panels.

3. A carrier according to claim 2 wherein the lower edge of each of saidouter handle panels is cut away to form at least one transversepartition strip foldably joined to the associated outer handle panel andthe adjacent side wall and wherein said reinforcing panels form atwo-ply partition structure in the cutaway areas of said outer handlepanels.

4. A carrier according to claim 3 wherein coincidental hand grippingapertures are formed in each of said outer handle panels and in each ofsaid reinforcing panels and wherein a four-ply thickness of material isdisposed above said apertures.

5. A carrier according to claim 3 wherein a single ply medial keel panelis foldably joined to said bottom panel and wherein a medial tab isformed on at least one riser panel at each end of the carrier atapproximately the same level as said medial keel panel, said medial tabsbeing disposed in flat face contacting relation to said medial keelpanel whereby a two-ply partition is formed underneath the ends of thehandle structure.

6. A carrier according to claim 5 wherein a bottom tab is struck out ofsaid bottom panel and foldably joined thereto along a medial fold line,said bottom tab being disposedintermediate the ends of the carrier andbeing secured in flat face contacting relation to said medial keel panelwhereby a two-ply partition is formed underneath the middle portion ofthe handle structure.

7. A carrier according to claim 3 wherein an auxiliary partition stripis disposed in flat face contacting relation to each of said transversepartition strips and secured thereto to form two-ply transversepartitions between the handle and side walls.

"8. A carrier according to claim 7 wherein a transverse strut is struckout of said bottom wall and foldably joined thereto along a fold linedisposed underneath and in coincidental relation with each transversestrip, each transverse strut being disposed in flat face contactingrelation with a pair of said auxiliary partition strips to form atwo-ply transverse partition adjacent said bottom panel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,268,113 8/1966 Schuster3,283,949 11/1966 Wysocki

1. AN ARTICLE CARRIER COMPRISING A BOTTOM PANELS, SIDE WALLS FOLDABLY JOINED TO THE SIDE EDGES OF SAID BOTTOM PANEL, END WALLS FOLDABLY JOINED TO THE END EDGES OF SAID SIDE WALLS, RISER PANELS FOLDABLY JOINED TO SAID END WALLS MEDIALLY THEREOF AND EXTENDING MEDIALLY INWARD OF THE CARRIER, A PAIR OF OUTER HANDLE PANELS SECUREDS AT THEIR ENDS TO SAID RISER PANELS AND DISPOSED IN PARALLEL CLOSE PROXIMITY TO EACH OTHER, AND AT LEAST ONE REINFORCING PANEL FOLDABLY JOINED TO AT LEAST ONE OF SAID OUTER HANDLE PANELS ALONG AT LEAST ONE FOLD LINE WHICH IS SPACED INWARDLY SOMEWHAT FROM ONE END EDGE OF SAID ONE HANDLE PANEL, SAID REINFORCING PANEL BEING FOLDED INTO FLAT FACE CONTACTING RELATION TO THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID ONE HANDLE PANEL AND SAID FOLD LINE BEING SO DISPOSED THAT SAID REINFORCING PANEL IS CENTRALLY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO THE ENDS OF SAID OUTER HANDLE PANEL AND THE LENGTH OF SAID REINFORCING PANEL BEING SUCH THAT SAID REINFORCING PANEL BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN SAID RISER PANELS. 